Container for electric light bulbs and lamp pack resulting from its use



May 23, 1967 R. E. PAIGE 3,321,077

CONTAINER FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT BULBS AND LAMP PACK RESULTING FROM ITS USE Filed Oct. 21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

I CHA/PO 5 PA/f A r ra/PA/EKS May 23, 1967 R. E. PAIGE 3,321,077

CONTAINER FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT BULBS AND LAMP PACK RESULTING FROM ITS USE Filed Oct. 21, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 4 /09/4190 5- PA GE United States Patent 3,321,077 CGNTAHNER FUR ELECTRHC LIGHT BULBS ANI) LAB fl? RACK RESULTING FROM ITS USE Richard E. Paige, 411 E. 57th St., New York, NY. 19022 Filed Get. 21, 1965, Scr. No. 499,806 7 Claims. (Cl. Mid-65) This invention relates generally to containers for erectric light bulbs, and to the loaded lamp packs themselves. It has particular reference to a lamp pack for merchandising two electric light bulbs of equal size, employing an inexpensive throw-away enclosure composed of corrugated paper stock.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved bulb container which lends itself readily to low cost manufacture on a commercial scale, and which is unusually efficient in protectively enclosing a pair of electric light bulbs.

Another object is to provide a container structure which permits the loading of the bulbs into the container to be feasibly carried on by automatic machinery, if desired.

It is another general object to provide a two-lamp package that can be mass produced in speedy and economical fashion, and is unusually sturdy and resistant to wear and tear.

' Trends in current marketing practices, exemplified by the self-service techniques employed in supermarkets, make it increasingly imperative that relatively fragile articles like light bulbs be reliably packaged to withstand harsh and careless handling. At the same time, in the interests of manufacturing simplicity and low cost, the quantity of wrap material, and the time and effort required for loading containers, should be minimized as far as possible. It is an object of the present invention to achieve these ends.

It is still another object to provide a container which effectively protects the bulbs without completely concealing them. it is of advantage to consumer and merchandiser alike that each lamp pack contain its full complement of two bulbs, and that the presence of the bulbs (or possible absence of one of them) be readily apparent from the exterior of the package.

Lamp packs heretofore used have often required a multiple number of protective sleeves, or relatively complex manufacturing and loading operation. It is a feature of the invention to achieve the objectives hereinbefore referred to, and other advantages as Well, with only a single container element, and by means of a structure which is unusually simple and inexpensive, and can be formed from a single blank of stock, if desired.

In accordance with this invention, a single four-sided sleeve is employed for snugly accommodating the pair of light bulbs in side-by-side oppositely-facing relation, with their axes generally in the direction of the sleeve axis. The sleeve is provided at its opposite ends with hinged covers specially offset in opposite directions in such a way that the globular part of each bulb is protectively centered beneath one of the covers while its narrower base remains uncovered and visible at the opposite end of the sleeve. Moreover, each cover has lateral tuck-in flaps which embrace the globular part of the bulb beneath and are frictionally held so as to keep the container closed and prevent accidcntal loss of either bulb, while still permitting each cover to be readily lifted when a deliberate removal of the underlying bulb is desired.

A particular feature of the invention resides in making the tuck-in flaps of such shapes and proportions that secure frictional lock-in is achieved when the corresponding cover is closed, whereby a reliable protective enclosure of each bulb is automatically achieved. The inner flap is in each case of a special excess length which becomes wedged between the globular part of one bulb and the narrow base of the other, in an oblique orientation; and the oblique tucloin flaps extending into the container from the opposite ends of the sleeve conjointly define an efficient protective partition between the packaged bulbs.

The container is composed of foldable paper stock comprising at least two adhesively joined layers; one of which is corrugated and the other planar. The corrugations are on the inside, and extend in a direction at right angles to the sleeve axis. The tuck-in flaps are preferably each contoured to define straight free edges perpendicular to the hinge of the flap, one of these straight edges being appreciably longer than the other. A convex arcuate free edge extends between the straight edges.

The preferred way of achieving these objects and advantages is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a view of the single blank of which the container may be formed;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the container in readiness to receive a pair of light bulbs;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are similar views showing successive steps of the loading and container-closing procedure;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the completed la mp pack;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged cross-section substantially along the plane and in the direction designated 6-6 in FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is an end view in the direction marked 7-7 in FIGURE 5.

The blank of foldable paper material shown in FIGURE 1 is conventional stock composed of at least two layers, one of which is corrugated, the other planar. The corrugated surface is shown exposed in FIGURE 1. The blank is cut and scored to define four adjacent rectangular areas 10, 11, 12, and 13, hingedly connected along lines 14,15 and 16. The area 10 is hinged at 17 to an attachment fiap 18 presenting a smooth surface, whereby the blank may be folded up into the form of a sleeve with the flap 18 adhesively secured to the free margin of area 13. The corrugations are on the inside of the sleeve and extend at right angles to the sleeve axis.

The sleeve sides 11 and 13 are longer than the sides 10 and 12, so that the sleeve has an oblong cross-section.

The dimensions are such that the sleeve will snugly accommodate a pair of lamp bulbs 19, 20, of equal size, arranged side-by-side and in oppositely facing relation (see FIG. 6). The lamps lie with their axes in the general direction of the sleeve axis, and each has the usual relatively large globular part and a narrower neck.

Hinged to the wall 11 along hinge line 21 at one end of the sleeve is a rectangular cover 22. It is about as Wide as the side walls 10 and 12. In the direction of the hinge line 21, however, it is shorter than the wall 11. More specifically, it will be noted that the hinge line 21 extends from the hinge line 14 to a point 23 short of the hinge line 15. A similar cover 24 is hinged along line 25 to the wall 11 at the opposite end of the sleeve, but

the covers 22 and 24 are offset in opposite directions from 3 the central axis of the sleeve, as indicated by the circumstance that the hinge line 25 extends from the hinge line 15 to a point 26 short of the hinge line 14. The effect of this is to approximately center each cover over the globular part of the bulb beneath it, leaving the narrower end of the other bulb uncovered.

Each cover is provided with lateral tuck-in flaps. The flap 27 is hinged to the cover 22 along line 28 and is contoured to define a short straight free edge 29, a longer straight free edge 30, these straight edges being perpendicular to the hinge line 23, and a convex free edge 31 extending between the edges 29 and 30. The flap 27 has a length, in the direction of the edge 30, about equal to the width of the sleeve. Similarly, the tuck-in flap 32 is hinged to the cover 22 along line 33, and has similar straight and arcuate free edges 34, 35 and 36. For a reason presently to be pointed out, the flap 32 is longer than the flap 27, i.e., its free straight edge 35 is longer than the sleeve width, as best indicated in FIGURE 3.

The cover 24 is similarly provided with outer and inner tuck-in flaps 3:7 and 38, the outer one (37) having a length about equal to the sleeve width and the inner one (38) being longer, as best indicated in FIGURE 3.

After the bulbs have been inserted into the sleeve, the tuck-in flaps on the covers 22, 24 are turned up, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, and the covers are then swung into container-closing dispositions (FIGURES 4 and The tuck-in flaps on each cover snugly embrace the underlying globular bulb part. The fact that the inner tuck-in flaps 32 and 38 are longer than the sleeve width makes it necessary to turn them to the oblique orientations shown in FIGURE 4 before the covers can be swung closed. As a result, they are more expeditiously guided into the wedged positions shown in FIGURE 6, in which they conjointly define a protective partition between the bulbs.

The straightness of the shorter free edges 29 and 34 (on the tuck-in fiaps 27 and 32), and the corresponding free edges 39 and 40 (on the flaps 37 and 38) produces a frictional resistance just prior to the completion of the cover-closing operations, whereby a slightly increased closing force is required at this stage. This causes each cover to move into fully closed disposition with a snap action that enhances the firmness with which the covers are frictionally held closed. Inadvertent reopening is unlikely, regardless of the handling and re-handling of the package, and regardless of the position in which it is held or placed. The arrangement of the corrugations of the sleeve in direct contact with the enveloped bulbs, and in a direction perpendicular to the sleeve axis, is also conducive to a reliable retention of the bulbs and a prevention of inadvertent displacement or loss.

The firmness of the closure is further assured by the fact that each outer tuck-in flap (27 and 37) is frictionally interposed between the globular part of a bulb and the adjacent short side of the sleeve, while each inner tuck-in flap (32 and 38) is frictionally interposed, as hereinbefore described, between the globular part of one bulb and the narrower base of the other.

A desirable characteristic of the lamp pack resides in the fact that despite the ruggedness and stability of the closed lamp pack, either cover may be readily pulled open when the bulb beneath it is to be deliberately removed.

Another and very important advantageous feature of the improved package is that neither cover needs to be reopened at any time merely to determine whether there is or is not a bulb beneath it, because the narrower ends of the bulbs are constantly exposed to view at the opposite ends of the sleeve. The bulbs are, nevertheless, firmly held and fully shielded from each other, and from external buffeting, at all times,

The container lends itself readily to automated procedures, and a factor contributing to this advantage is the attachment of the opposite covers 22 and 24, as shown,

to the same side wall (11) of the sleeve. This design and arrangement of parts makes it possible, for example, to advance the original empty containers in succession along a conveyor (not shown), in the direction of the arrow 41, with the oppositely facing covers 22 and 24 lying flat, as shown in FIGURE 2. By mechanisms (not shown), functioning automatically and in timed relation, it is possible to operate upon each container, as it passes by, to introduce the bulbs from opposite sides, turn up the tuck-in flaps to the positions shown in FIGURE 4. and finally swing the covers to fully closed positions. The complete units of FIGURE 5, with all the sturdiness and other advantages previously alluded to, can thus be massproduced at relatively low cost. Commercial practicability and economy are further enhanced by the simplicity and compact nature of the single basic blank of stock from which the container and the resultant lamp pack can be fabricated.

It will be understood that some of the details described and illustrated might be modified by those skilled in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for a pair of electric light bulbs of equal size each of which has a globular part and a narrower base, comprising a four-sided sleeve having an oblong cross-sectional size adapted snugly to accommodate said bulbs in side-by-side oppositely-facing relation with their axes generally in the direction of the sleeve axis, and covers at opposite sleeve ends respectively, hinged to one of the longer sleeve sides, each cover having a length in the direction of its hinge axis which is shorter than the sleeve side to which it is hinged, said covers being oppositely offset from the central axis of the sleeve so that each cover is centered over the globular part of one of the bulbs leaving the base of the other bulb uncovered, each cover being provided with hinged lateral tuck-in flaps one of which is adapted to become frictionally interposed as a protective partition between the bulbs when the cover is closed.

2. A container as defined in claim 1, in which both covers are hinged to the same sleeve.

3. A container as defined in claim 1, in which said partition flap extends for the full width of the cover to which it is hinged, but is longer than said hinge in the direction perpendicular thereto, so that it must assume a slanted disposition as it is tucked between the bulbs.

4. A container as defined in claim 3, in which said flap has a pair of straight free edges perpendicular to the hinge, one relatively short, the other appreciably longer, and a convex arcuate free edge extending between said straight edges.

5. A container as defined in claim 2, in which the four sleeve sides, the covers, and the tuck-in flaps are integral parts of a single blank of foldable paper comprising at least two adhesively joined layers one of which is corrugated and the other planar, the corrugations being on the inside of the container and extending in a direction at right angles to the sleeve axis.

6. A lamp pack comprising a four-sided sleeve composed of paper and having a corrugated surface on the inside, the corrugations extending perpendicular to the sleeve axis, a pair of electric light bulbs of equal size snugly accommodated within said sleeve in side-by-side oppositely-facing relation, their axes lying generally in the direction of the sleeve axis, each bulb having a globular part and a narrower base, covers at opposite sleeve ends, respectively, hinged to one of the longer sleeve sides, each cover having a length in the direction of its hinge axis which is shorter than the sleeve side to which it is hinged, said covers being oppositely offset from the central axis of the sleeve so that each cover is centered over the globular part of one of said bulbs and leaves the base of the other bulb uncovered, lateral tuck-in flaps hinged to each 3,321,077 5 6 cover and embracing the globular part of the bulb be- References Cited by the Examiner neath said cover, each outer flap being frictionally held UNITED STATES PATENTS between said globular part and the adjacent short side of the sleeve, each inner flap being frictionally interposed 340,904 4/1886 Auchterlofllebetween said globular part and the base of th other n 5 476,237 6/ 1892 Baker 229-47 said inner flaps conjointly defining an oblique protective 2,698,124 12/1954 Hines 229-7 partition in frictionally held disposition bet e id 3,203,617 8/1965 Palge 229-39 bulbs.

7. A lamp pack as defined in claim 6, in which both THERON CONDON Pfimmy Examiner of said covers are hinged to the same sleeve side. 10 W. T. DIXSON Assistant Examiner. 

6. A LAMP PACK COMPRISING A FOUR-SIDED SLEEVE COMPOSED OF PAPER AND HAVING A CORRUGATED SURFACE ON THE INSIDE, THE CORRUGATIONS EXTENDING PERPENDICULAR TO THE SLEEVE AXIS, A PAIR OF ELECTRIC LIGHT BULBS OF EQUAL SIZE SNUGLY ACCOMMODATED WITHIN SAID SLEEVE IN SIDE-BY-SIDE OPPOSITELY-FACING RELATION, THEIR AXES LYING GENERALLY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SLEEVE AXIS, EACH BULB HAVING A GLOBULAR PART AND A NARROWER BASE, COVERS AT OPPOSITE SLEEVE ENDS, RESPECTIVELY, HINGED TO ONE OF THE LONGER SLEEVE SIDES, EACH COVER HAVING A LENGTH IN THE DIRECTION OF ITS HINGE AXIS WHICH IS SHORTER THAN THE SLEEVE SIDE TO WHICH IT IS HINGED, SAID COVERS BEING OPPOSITELY OFFSET FROM THE CENTRAL AXIS OF THE SLEEVE SO THAT EACH COVER IS CENTERED OVER THE GLOBULAR PART OF ONE OF SAID BULBS AND LEAVES THE BASE OF THE OTHER BULB UNCOVERED, LATERAL TUCK-IN FLAPS HINGED TO EACH COVER AND EMBRACING THE GLOBULAR PART OF THE BULB BENEATH SAID COVER, EACH OUTER FLAP BEING FRICTIONALLY HELD BETWEEN SAID GLOBULAR PART AND THE ADJACENT SHORT SIDE OF THE SLEEVE, EACH INNER FLAP BEING FRICTIONALLY INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID GLOBULAR PART AND THE BASE OF THE OTHER BULB, SAID INNER FLAPS CONJOINTLY DEFINING AN OBLIQUE PROTECTIVE PARTITION IN FRICTIONALLY HELD DISPOSITION BETWEEN SAID BULBS. 